Kenneth T. Tellis: What has Hugo Chavez got to do with Newfoundland & Labrador Premier Danny Williams?

VHeadline commentarist Kenneth T. Tellis writes: The on-going problem between Newfoundland & Labrador premier Danny Williams and Abitibi Bowater has now brought the name of Hugo Chavez into the issue.

During a discussion on BNN (Business News Network) on the issue of the on-going issue of Danny Williams taking back water and land rights that were part of an agreement between Newfoundland and Abitibi Bowater over a 100 years ago ... now that Abitibi Bowater is closing down its paper plant, Newfoundland wants those rights back as the company will no longer be operating the plant.

The company sees this move by Danny Williams as something similar to the way Hugo Chavez nationalized the Venezuelan oilfields.

While the discussion was going on the party that supported Abitibi Bowater kept referring to Danny Williams as Chavez, when there is absolutely no link between the two at all.

Of course, this is very typical of US Corporations ... they keep mixing one issue with the other to roil the waters and make people think of someone in a negative way. But that might come to haunt Abitibi Bowater some time in the future.

Still, to have to name Hugo Chavez in this problem, shows that the US Corporations are now clutching at straws, and cannot handle the issue.

Kenneth T. Tellis
kenttellis@rogers.com